About the author

Thoreau: Pioneer of Anarchist Thought

Henry David Thoreau was born on July 12, 1817, in Concord, Massachusetts, United States. He was an American essayist, poet, and philosopher, a leading transcendentalist, and a noted tax resister.

Thoreau's philosophy of civil disobedience later influenced the political thoughts and actions of such notable figures as Leo Tolstoy, Mahatma Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. He is best known for his book 'Walden', a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay 'Civil Disobedience' (originally published as 'Resistance to Civil Government'), an argument for disobedience to an unjust state. He died on May 6, 1862, at the age of 44.

Date of Birth: July 12, 1817

Date of Death: May 6, 1862

Country of Birth: United States

Political Ideas: Civil Disobedience, Individual Anarchism

Quotes Available: 19